QPR and Wimbledon in merger talks

Queens Park Rangers have confirmed they are in "very early stage discussions" with Wimbledon about a possible merger of the two clubs.

The talks began after QPR were put into administration with debts of around £8m, while Wimbledon have been searching for a permanent home for several years.

The announcement came after a report in this morning's Sun. The article claimed that the proposed new team will be coached by Dons boss Terry Burton and will play its home games at Loftus Road.

However, a spokesperson for Loftus Road plc, the owners of QPR, was at pains to state that a final decision has yet to be made.

"Our initial view is that, in the current financial environment for football outside the Premier League, the idea could have merit and may be worth exploring further," he explained.

"But we must emphasise that it is still very early days and no firm agreement whatsoever has been reached. The talks with Wimbledon will only continue if there is general approval from our supporter base."

Wimbledon chairman Charles Koppel also played down the reports.

"No agreement to merge Wimbledon with QPR has been reached," he insisted. "While discussions regarding the idea of a possible merger have taken place, we realise that no agreement could ever be reached without consulting our supporters first.

"If the fans felt that this was not the best thing, we would re-evaluate and move along a different route."

Unsurprisingly, supporters have already opposed the mooted merger.

Libby Magrill, spokeswoman for QPR 1st, the Queens Park Rangers Supporters Trust, said: "Historically, QPR fans will not support a merger with any other Football League club.

"Proposed mergers with Brentford in 1967 and Fulham in 1987 were successfully opposed by the fans, and any move to merge QPR with Wimbledon this year, or at any stage in the future, will be opposed by every possible means.

"QPR fans will fight to retain the identity of our club. We know that Wimbledon fans will do the same."

Wimbledon fans also expressed their opposition to the proposal, promising to protest at a meeting between the club and supporters' organisations later this week.

The Wimbledon Independent Supporters' Association declared that they "unequivocally oppose the merger of two separate identities, families, supporters and histories" and added: "At our forthcoming meeting on Sunday with chairman Charles Koppel prior to the final game of the season, we shall be discussing and exploring the way to go forward.

"In addition, we shall be making clear to the owners of Wimbledon Football Club our desire for our own stadium and retained identity.

"We urge the vigilance of Wimbledon and QPR supporters during this time and ask that you make your voices heard far and wide."

Meanwhile, speculation that a third London club, Brentford, could also become involved was dismissed by chairman Ron Noades, who had been linked with a rival bid.

Noades told the Evening Standard: "We are not interested in any merger with or takeover of QPR.

"We were in talks with QPR about a possible ground share at Loftus Road but those cannot proceed until the club is out of administration.

"In the meantime, our own talks about a new ground for Brentford in the borough of Hounslow are progressing well.

"If QPR and Wimbledon merge we would be interested to talk to them about a possible ground share if we do manage to move to a new home ourselves."

It has also been reported that an unidentified City-based consortium are preparing a £12m bid to buy QPR outright and keep the club's identity.

Their bid is for the rugby and football wings of Loftus Road plc and would involve QPR and Wasps sharing Rangers' Acton training ground.